The Mallee Fowl (Leipoa ocellata) inhabitis the dry and dusty mallee lands of western NSW, west of the Spencer Gulf along the fringes of the Simpson Desert, and the semi-arid fringe of Western Australia's south-west corner.
The Mallee Fowl is a shy, ground-dwelling bird. It was once a common bird, but a combination of threats, including habitat destruction and predation by foxes caused the population to seriously decline in the last 100 years.
The Mallee Fowl is listed as endangered by the IUCN.
It is listed as vulnerable under Australian Federal legislation - the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The Mallee Fowl is listed as endangered in Victoria, vulnerable in South Australia and endangered in New South Wales.
The Foundation's Role in Saving the Mallee Fowl from Extiction
The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife protected key Mallee Fowl habitat in New South Wales to secure the population of Mallee Fowl in this state.
The Foundation purchased 107,241 hectares of leasehold mallee land in western NSW and created Yathong Nature Reserve for the Mallee Fowl.
A successful fox eradication program inthe area resulted in the establishment of a fox-free 20,400-hectare Mallee Fowl conservation zone.
To increase the birds’ population, the Foundation also supported the release of captive-bred Mallee Fowl to increase wild populations.
Pest control, and the breeding and release program, successfully stabilised the Mallee Fowl population at Yathong and helped protect the Mallee Fowl from extinction.
